Last season’s run saw the Gingerbreads make it to the Second Qualifying Round where they fell to defeat against Halesowen Town, but will this year enter at the Third Qualifying Round stage.

Town will also look to pick up their first win of the season after falling to a 3-0 loss away to Mickleover Sports last Saturday in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.

THE OPPOSITION

Yaxley, or the Cuckoos as they are otherwise known, play one tier below Grantham in Southern League Division One Central. Formed in 1962, Yaxley are based in Cambridgeshire and play their home games at Leading Drove which is now named The Decker Bus Stadium.

After a difficult start to the season for Yaxley, which had seen them bottom of the table until Tuesday night, the Blues were able to move up to 12th in the table after an impressive 5-0 win over North Leigh.

Andy Furnell’s side find themselves at the Third Qualifying stage after receiving a bye in the previous round due to their opponents Chasetown withdrawing from the competition, after they reported of a member of their first team had tested positive for Coronavirus.

KEY PLAYER

Former Boston United man Dan Cotton has had a history of scoring goals for Yaxley since first joining in 2014 and is looking to find his 200th for the club on Saturday.

Cotton bagged a hat-trick in the Cuckoos’ 5-0 win to take his tally to 199 goals and having also had a previously impressive record during his time at Spalding United (50 goals in 77 games), Cotton will need to be kept at bay if Grantham are to progress in the FA Trophy.

MANAGER’S THOUGHTS

Gingerbreads boss Martin McIntosh believes that the chance to turn their attentions to a different competition may provide his squad with an opportunity to build some much-needed confidence.

He said: “The start to the season hasn’t been the way we wanted it to go at all and performances haven’t been good enough.

“Cup competitions are great for that. We’re playing a side that we won’t underestimate even though they are in the league below us.

“They got a good win on Tuesday night and will provide a difficult test but like every year, a cup run is something that can always help you boost that confidence.

“That’s what we need right now. Saturday is hugely important for us. A win could really help kick the season into motion, but we have to get everything right and earn that win ourselves.”

TEAM NEWS

Greg Young could return from a shoulder injury to feature, but the rest of the squad should be fit for selection.

TICKET DETAILS

Tickets for Saturday’s game will be available to purchase on the turnstiles.

The admission prices are as follows:
£8 - Adults
£4 - concessions

If you can’t make it to The Decker Bus Stadium, make sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for every update and goal as they happen.

Castlegate Financial Management are Independent Financial Advisers working within the Duncan & Toplis group, specialising in investment advice and retirement planning, operating in Grantham, Lincoln and the wider Midlands. They can be contacted on 01476 591022 or visit their website www.casfin.co.uk